The Associated Press
Protesting against protesting against protests?
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Posted 38 weeks 3 days ago
Has 9/11 fear overshadowed the First Amendment?
Advancing freedom of speech has always clashed with national security interests. The clash continues. The CEO and President of the Associated Press on Thursday said the shadow of the Sept. 11 terror attacks is eclipsing press freedom and other constitutional safeguards in the United States.
"What has become clear in the aftermath of 9/11 is how much expediency trumps safeguards," Tom Curley said during the annual dinner of the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation.
Are the free press and free speech in jeopardy? Has the Bush administration stifled dissent in America in the name of fighting terrorism? Or have the fears of suppression been exaggerated?
Thoughts
9/11 9-11 911
Submitted on March 7th, 2008 by AnonymousIt seems all we hear about these days as an excuse for stripping away our freedoms.
Credentializing Thought: The Real Reasons They Ban Homeschooling
Submitted on March 7th, 2008 by Chuck_JohnsonThe latest battle in the fight for homeschooling rights had an opening salvo today. I would bet on this issue working its way up to the State Supreme Court quickly. There are potentially 166,000 parents who have become criminals by this decision.
I take Ed Whelan's view of the whole situation: that the correct remedy is statutory, not through the courts.
This strategy might be best for the homeschooling supporters, who, tied to religious groups and politicians might have the right to pressure to get the legislation they want, but is it best for California?
Why should parents have to fight in the Courtroom or at the ballot box for the ability to decide what's best for their child?
The ruling in this case suggests that parents must get credentials to educate their own kids. What's next? Making them get licensed to have children?
In part, this decision should have been predictable. Whereas we once required lawyers to study Blackstone and take the bar, we now require attorneys to go to law school. The costs for all of us are enormous.
So too do the credential nuts want to take away education from the "amateurs" or the "religious." Little do they understand that the greatest teachers never had credentials. Would these credential supporters require Socrates or Jesus to get a license?
Of course they would.
But surely the right to decide what's best for your family precedes the artificial bureaucratization of education.
Chuck Johnson is a student at Claremont McKenna College. Feel free to contact him.